Rock Solid, Shifting Sands
by Basmathgirl
Summary: Another day, another temporary hiding place; but this time it's a rock crevice and not only space is suddenly in short supply.


**Disclaimer:** I've been in a cave and own a pet rock, which is about as far as my ownership here goes.  
 **A/N:** written and posted to wish **babumonkey** a very happy birthday!

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 **Rock Solid, Shifting Sands**

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Having had to hide deep within the underground cave system from dangerous aliens called the Hjivox, both the Doctor and his companion, Donna Noble, were squashed into a crevice to evade detection. They had already dodged being found by a dog-like creature.

"Was that you, or does this rock smell dodgy?" Donna hissed at him.

"Me," he admitted. Then he quickly added when she grimaced at him, "It was merely a spot of olfactory distraction to ward off the attention of that sniffing animal of theirs."

"Oliwhat?" she inevitably questioned.

"Smell," he explained. "It is to do with smell. A trick similar to ventriloquism but I threw a scent out."

"You're full of excuses today," she noted to herself.

He would have queried this comment but a nearby sound had suddenly forced them further back into the confined space until nothing stood between them except a thin layer or two of cloth. There was no way of avoiding sharing breaths as they waited, somewhat impatiently, stood facing each other to avoid external injury or any effects of claustrophobia.

The atmosphere between them grew warmer as they wriggled to get comfortable. Outside in the open cavern the Hjivox were readying themselves to leave the area; but they would be a while yet.

It wasn't as though they'd never hidden before, he told himself, but the Doctor gulped self-consciously as he contemplated his proximity to Donna. They were unbearably close now. Almost nose to nose; and definitely hip to hip. This could get dangerous.

He slowly moved his hand to find something in his pocket to break the darkness. In the low light of the Doctor's torch every freckle, every fledgling wrinkle, every scent of longed for skin could be sensed.

It had become just them in an isolated safe bubble, one where the normal rules seemed to fade away. As did other boundaries, he idly realised as he found himself edging forward.

"Donna," he groaned out next to her mouth as temptation raised its eager head. He had been dreading this moment happening, and now it had finally arrived. "You know there can never be anything between us."

She had felt the pull of attraction too. Had tried to ignore it but the situation had slowly weaved a seductive hold over her. "I know," she faintly conceded. "It just can't happen with a human. There're rules of law against it and everything."

His breath puffed over her face in exasperation. "This can't be long term. Not even wise in the short term."

His dismissive words confused her. "So what's the problem?" she risked asking.

His lips slipped closer. "You know all too well," he huskily stated.

She probably did. Trying to think of a suitable argument to comfort him, she murmured, "Lucky it's just us in here, then. No one knows how close it was."

"Yes," he muttered, keeping his attention on her mouth. "No one else will ever know. Not unless we choose to tell them, and I'm not likely to do that."

"Nor me," she eagerly agreed.

Her breathiness had caused her chest to push harder onto his, creating unwanted connotations further down below.

"So," he squeaked, and then gave a small cough. "In torch light of that, could we? Seeing as we are pressed up against one another."

There was a chuckle of embarrassment. Well, something was certainly pressing into her tender flesh. And didn't THAT thought lead to more embarrassing ones! Ones she shouldn't really be contemplating right that second, especially with him being a touch telepath; although that hopefully applied only when his hands were on her head and not when touching any other parts of her body. Not that she was unwilling to risk it, she considered, as his hand rose up to slowly cup her cheek while his thumb stroked her bottom lip.

"Shame to waste it," she quietly replied, lest anyone overhear her offer.

Not that anyone could, but you never know.

In answer, he dipped forward to close the remaining gap between them. His lips were immensely soft and warm when they landed on hers. Opening in invitation, their mouths moved together as tongues met in a delicious waft of desire. Such sweet bliss.

They softly groaned and sighed with enjoyment; but they knew their hunger could not be allowed to continue, so they broke apart in guilty apprehension.

Donna also knew she had to stop him swirling down into a guilty haze by acting normal. "Is that how you kissed Martha that time?" she mused. "If so, no wonder she had such a crush on you she was prepared to go through months of being trapped."

"That's no way to talk about life in the TARDIS," he grumbled. "She's been very good to you."

"Not like that, you prawn!" she chastised him. "I mean trapped in the past. As if I'd say that about the TARDIS. No, I was talking about that secret weapon of yours. Those lips need a warning sticker on them."

"Really?!" he wondered, all smug grin and arrogance.

"Carry on like that and I might change my mind," she warned. "Just because you've got me stuck in here with you, don't mean..."

His mouth had landed on hers again, stealing her breath and the nasty thought she was going to express.

"Oh yes, I have got you in here," he crowed. "Right where I've always wanted you."

"Always?" Her eyebrows shot up in surprise. "How long is 'always'?"

"Well, when I say that, it isn't very long at all," he blustered.

"Oh no, you can't take it back and pretend you never said it," she huffed. "Tell me, how long have you wanted to do this?"

"Erm," he carefully considered. "Can't say I've ever been keen to get stuck in a rock crevice."

So she hit him on the arm. Hard.

Well, as hard as you can when stuck in a crevice with limited room.

"OW! No need to get violent," he fussed, rubbing the offended spot. "It's..." He looked guiltily away. "It's been a while." When she continued to glare at him, he added, "Our first day together. When we climbed on top of the Thames Barrier, if not sooner."

"Oh. Explains the hug," she pondered, "and the later request."

"You asked me to dinner," he countered.

"Shhh!" she soothed him, stroking his sideburns with tender care. "I'm not saying it's wrong; I'm just a bit surprised. Nice though. Really nice. Especially now that I can kiss you back."

"Kissing is good," he crooned, giving in to temptation to do so. "Our little secret."

"You know what else is secret?" She smiled confidently at him. "No one else knows what happens inside the TARDIS. We could have our own little trip to Narnia, and nobody would be any the wiser."

"I know which lands I want to explore," he commented with a faint stroke with his fingers. "So it's agreed then? We go have ourselves a personal adventure."

"Yeah. Surprise me."

Three seconds later a blur raced through the empty caverns towards the TARDIS before anyone could spot them.

It remained a complete secret. Nobody ever knew; ...except for you reading this, of course.


End file.
